Albuquerque Water Gardens & Nursery

Tucked into one of Albuquerque's oldest communities on Candelaria, Albuquerque Water Gardens & Nursery is a sprawling oasis that feels worlds away from the big-box garden centers. The business has operated for many years, specializing in ponds and water gardens while maintaining an impressive nursery of locally grown terrestrial plants adapted to New Mexico's demanding climate and soil. Walking the grounds, you'll pass multiple display ponds stocked with water lilies, and the atmosphere has a relaxed, almost meditative quality that customers consistently rave about.

The pond plant selection is arguably the best in Albuquerque. You'll find lotus (both dwarf and standard varieties), water lilies, frog bit, rushes, and a range of aquatic plants priced from around $30 to over $100 for specialty specimens. They also sell pond fish — baby koi, goldfish, and even toad tadpoles — along with snails and other pond inhabitants to help build a functioning backyard ecosystem.

Staff regularly advise customers on pond setup, plant care, and stocking strategies, making this a genuine resource for anyone building or maintaining a pond in the desert Southwest. Beyond the water garden core, the nursery carries a huge variety of shrubs, trees, fruiting plants (customers have sampled fruit right off the plants), hibiscus, roses, grapevines, chile plants, and seasonal offerings like Christmas trees, handmade wreaths, and poinsettias. Decorative items include Talavera pots, ceramic planters, and fountain supplies — one customer got help sourcing materials to build a custom pottery fountain.

Pond liners and other hardscape supplies round out the inventory. The staff, led by owner John and his wife, are generally described as knowledgeable and mellow, though a few visitors have noted occasional moments of feeling rushed during busy periods. The locally grown plants are a major draw — they're already acclimated to the arid New Mexico environment, giving them a survival advantage over shipped-in stock from chain stores.

For pond enthusiasts in Albuquerque, this is the definitive destination.